What is the difference between a Pentecostal church and a Protestant church?

Answer

Protestantism was born out of Martin Luther's revelation that the just shall live by faith, as quoted in both Romans 1:17 and Habakkuk 2:4. After this revelation, he parted company with the Catholic church and the Protestant Reformation began.

Churches that embrace the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in unlearned tongues are typically referred to as Pentecostal or charismatic churches. Both Catholic and Protestant churches can be Pentecostal.

Prior to Jesus being taken up into Heaven, He told His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, which would occur within a matter of days. He told His followers "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

Ten days later the Holy Spirit came in all His fullness and sat upon each person who was still waiting in the upper room. Each one of them started speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This occured on the day of Pentecost, which was a Jewish festival celebrating the ingathering of the harvest.

Many Protestant churches do not embrace the doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They believe it is the same as being born again. But it cannot possibly be the same. First of all, Jesus said that "when the Holy Spirit has come upon you".... well, when you are born again, the Holy Spirit does not just come upon you, but He takes up residence within you. Also, when someone is born again they are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. When someone is baptized into the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the one who is doing the baptizing. There is a different "Baptizer" in each baptism.

You may want to ask the question, "What is the difference between a Spirit-filled church and a non-Spirit filled church?" Jesus was the one who commanded His followers to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the promise of the Father (refer to John 14). If it was important for the first century believers to be endued with power from on high, how much more important is it today for all belieivers to experience the fullness of the Spirit?

Peter addressed a crowd right after the Holy Spirit had come upon those in the upper room and he said to them, as recorded in Acts 2:28-39: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

You and I are in the group that Peter identified as "afar off", as he said this over 2,000 years ago.

First answer by ID1182252806. Last edit by LiL sTaN. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 10 [recommend question]